For “Prompt 6” of the Common App., should I denote my research aspirations within the personal statement?

Answered

One of the main reasons I have often recommended that the students whom I advise avoid writing about their central academic interests in their Common App essays is that the students often have ample space to discuss these topics in their supplemental essays. If you write about your intended major in your common app essay, what will you have left to write about when a school asks "Why do you want to pursue your primary major?" as one of their supplemental essay prompts? The other main reason is that an essay on a student's academic interests can sometimes come off as overly clinical. The student risks writing an essay that is overly factual and thus not personal enough to make a suitably large impact on their admissions officer(s). Remember: admissions officers read similar essays all day all through admissions season! At elite schools, you'll need your officer(s) to advocate for you in front of a larger admissions committee. To build the necessary relationship with your officer(s), your essays, and your Common App essay in particular, will need to be deeply personal.

This doesn't mean, however, that you absolutely can't discuss your academic interests in your common app essay. So long as your essays for a school aren't redundant (make sure you address different topics in each essay!), and they explore and reveal deep things about who you are as a student and as a person, I think it is okay to talk about your research and/or your primary academic pursuits in your Common App essay. That said, it may be more effective to pursue a different topic in your Common App and to leave discussions of your intended major and your research for your supplemental responses.